Adjustable bulkhead for refrigerator cars



Oct. 15, 1935. v, w 2,017,301

ADJUSTABLE BULKHEAD FOR REFRIGERATOR CARS Filed Dec. 29, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 0d. 15, 1935. H, v. WYNN 2,017,301

ADJUSTABLE BULKHEAD FOR REFRIGERATOR CARS Filed Dec. 29, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 15, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE ADJUSTABLE BULKHEAD FOB REFRIGERATOR CARS Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in railway refrigerator cars and pertains particularly to an improved adjustable bulkhead structure.

The primary object of the present invention is 5 to provide an adjustable bulkhead which will make it possible to do away with the present temporary bulkheads which are employed in cars to take up extra space after the cargo has been placed therein and to brace and hold the cargo in position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bulkhead structure which is of strong and durable design and which may be easily and quickly shifted to the desired position after the necessary computation has been made as to the amount of space which the cargo will take up.

A further object of the invention is to provide a shiftabie bulkhead by which the shifting and consequent spoiling of broken packages of goods will be reduced to a minimum, which shifting and breaking of packages at present occurs frequently as a result of the collapse or improper construction of temporary bulkheads and center bracing.

' Still another object of the invention is to provide an adjustable bulkhead structure in which the initial expense of installation constitutes the entire expense involved in its use, thereby eliminating the present expense involved each time a car is loaded when temporary bulkheads must be built and then torn out after the cargo is removed and it is necessary to clean out the car.

Other objects of the invention reside in the novel means by which the adjustable bulkhead is mounted for movement; the novel means by which the shifting of the adjustable bulkhead is efiected; the novel means by which the shifting means may be looked after the bulkhead has been moved to the desired position; and the novel means by which certain parts 'of the structure are housed so that they may be constantly kept bathed in grease or other suitable lubricant.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawings but may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings:- as Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through one end of a refrigerator car showing the structure embodying the present invention in position therein, the section being taken substantially upon the line I-| of Figure 3;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially 5 upon the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially upon the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view of the king 7 sprocket supporting bracket, the section being on 10 a plane parallel with the ice screen;

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view taken substantially upon the line 5-5 of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a detail view partly in elevation and partly in section of the king sprocket securing 15 pm.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings wherein like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, there is shown diagrammatically in Figure 1 one 20 end in vertical section of a car wherein. the roof is indicated by the numeral I, the end wall is indicated by the numeral 2 and the floor is indicated by the numeral 3.

The structure embodying the present invention 25 comprises two main units one of which is indicated generally by the numeral 4 while the other is indicated generally by the numeral 5.

The unit 4 is fixed and constitutes the ice screen bulkhead which is spaced from-the end 30 wall 2 of the car and is secured between the top,

bottom and side walls in the manner shown to form the ice bunker 6. This screen bulkhead is made up of the top angle beam 1, the vertical side angle beams 8 and the vertical and horizontal 3 bars 9 and Ill respectively. The vertical bars are in the form of channels and are secured at their upper ends to the top angle beam 1 while the horizontal bars extend transversely of the structure and are secured to the bars 8 and 9 in the manner 40 illustrated so that there is thus formed a screenlike wall structure.

Secured between the vertical channel beams 9 and the adjacent end wall 2 of the car are the ice grates ll upon which the ice is supported when placed in the bunker.

Each of the vertical side angle beams 8 of the ice screen has the two openings l2 formed therethrough, one of which is near the top while the other is near the bottom and each of these open- 50 ings is surrounded by the small bolt openings i3. Mounted upon the rear side of each of the ice screen angle bars 8 is a pair of cylinders or housings each of which is indicated by the numeral ll. 'I'hese housings connect between the bars 8 and the adjacent end wall 2 of the car and as is shown each has a plate l5 on its forward end which abuts the rear side of the angle beam and has bolt holes therein which register with the bolt holes I! of the beam to receive securing bolts". At their other ends the housings have the ears II which are apertured to receive supporting screws or bolts which are driven into the end wall structure 2, and intermediate its ends each housing I4 is provided with the apertured ears l8 and I 9 by means of which the further attachment of the housing to the angle beams 8 and the adjacent side walls of the car is effected.

Each of the housings I4 is provided with a plugged opening 20 by means of which grease may be injected thereinto for lubricating an enclosed jack screw which will be hereinafter described.

The bolts, I! which secure the. plates l5 of the housings i4 to their respective angle beams, also secure to the forward faces of these beams the split collars 2|. The inner faces of each of these collars is annually recessed or channeled to receive the collar 22 which is formed upon one end of the hub portion 23 of a jack screw sprocket 24.

Through each of the four sprockets 24, which are interiorly threaded, there extends a jack screw 25 which passes through the ice screen into the adjacent housing l4 and each of these screws has a head plate 25 upon its forward end.

The central vertical channelbeam 9 is provided at a point slightly above its transverse center with an aperture 21 and rotatably mounted in this aperture is one end 28 of the hub portion of a king sprocket which is indicated generally by the numeral 29. 7

The hub of this sprocket is provided with a keyhole opening 30 for the purpose hereinafter set forth and secured to the forward face of the beam 9 against which the sprocket 29 is positioned, is a bracket 3| which has a central off-set portion 32 provided with the opening 33 in which the forward end of the hub of the sprocket 29 is rotatably mounted. The end portions 34 of the bracket 3| are suitably secured to the forward face of the beam 9.

The off-set portion-32 of the bracket 3| is provided with a threaded opening 35 in which is engaged the threaded portion 36 of a locking pin, the forward end of which is unthreaded as indicated at 31 while the opposite end is provided with the head 38. I This screw is suitably secured, as by means of the chain 39 to the beam 9 so that if it is accidently completely removed from the opening 35 it will not be dropped and lost. The end of the chain which is attached to the pin 31 is swivelly connected therewith so that the pin may be turned without twisting the chain.

The four jack screw sprockets 24 are connected by the operating chain 40 which as shown passes over the top of the king sprocket 29, passing through the bracket 3| which supports the king sprocket in position. It will thus be seen that by turning the king sprocket all of the other sprockets will be turned through the medium of the "chain 40 and the longitudinal movement of the screws 25 thus effected; There are two of the ice screen bulkheads 4 in each car, one adjacent each end, and the area between these bulkheads constitutes thefreight compartment. This areais indicated by the numeral 4|.

Adjacent each bulkhead 4 each side wall of the car forwardly of the bulkhead has countersunk therein and secured thereto the two vertically spaced longitudinally extending hanger tracks 4 is the adjustable or floating bulkhead 5. Each 10 of these floating bulkheads consists of the framework made up of the top and bottom horizontal beams 45 and 46, the vertical side beams 41 and the intermediate vertical beams 48, and secured transversely of the vertical beams 41 and 48 are l the planks 49 which do not extend entirely to the top and bottom edges of the framework so that open areas 50 are left across the top and bottom of the floating bulkhead which are covered by the spaced bars 5| which forms. screen or grill for 20 ventilation purposes.

The vertical side beams 41 of the floating bulkhead have secured to the outer edges thereof the hanger elements 52 each of which slidably engages in the channel 44 of the adjacent hanger 25 track 42.

The head plates 25 of the jack screws 25 are securely bolted to the rear faces of the adjacent vertical beams 41 of the floating bulkhead and at its central portion the floating bulkhead is provided with a keyhole opening 53 of the same design as the opening or channel in the king sprocket 29 and below this keyhole opening there is formed a hand hole 54.

In the operation of the present floating bulkhead structure the car loader after determining the approximate amount of space which will be required for the cargo which is to be placed in the freight compartment 4|, and thus determining the extent to which the floating bulkheads 40 must be shifted to increase or decrease the size of the freight compartment, loosens or retracts the lock pin 31 adjacent each of the king sprockets 29 by extending his hand through the hand hole 54 of the adjacent floating bulkhead. As the for- 4 ward end of the pin 31 engages between the teeth of the adjacent king sprocket to prevent it from turning its retraction will permit the free turning of the king sprocket and the loader then extends through the keyhole opening 53 of the adjacent bulkhead a crank shaft of the character indicated by the numeral 55, the forward end of which is provided with the two lateral pins 58 which engage in the keyhole opening 30 in the hub of the king sprocket. By then turning the 55 crank in the proper direction the chain 40 will be operated to rotate the jack screws and the shiftable bulkhead will be caused to move in the desired direction. After the shiftable bulkhead has been properly positioned the locking pin 31 will be reinserted between two teeth of the adjacent king sprocket and it will thus be seen that the shiftable bulkhead will be securely held against further movement.

From the foregoing it will also be readily apparent that with the structure herein set forth, in addition to the advantages previously set forth in connection therewith, the advantage is had of preventing any tampering with the bulkhead after the car is loaded. 70

In order to guard against the possibility of vi- 75 bration loosening and unscrewing the lock pin 31 a suitable means may be employed for engaging the head of this pin to hold it against rotation after the shiftable bulkhead has been set and the locking pin placed in operative position, such, for example, as a hook which may be mounted upon the bracket 3| and engaged in any suitable manner with the head 38 of the pin.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:-

1. In a freight car having top, bottom, side and end walls, and a partition disposed transversely of the car and fixed with relation to an end wall, a shiftable partition paralleling the fixed partition, hanger elements carried by the shiftable partition, supporting guide means carried by the side walls and having said hanger elements slidably engaged therewith, whereby shiftable partition is slidably supported by side walls, a plurality of screws adjacent walls of car each secured at one end to the shiftable partition and extending therefrom through the fixed partition, housings adjacent and carried by side walls of car and by the fixed partition upon the side opposite from the shiftable partition and into which said screws extend, interiorly threaded nutlike elements swivelly mounted upon the fixed partition adjacent walls of car and each having a screw threaded therethrough, and means connecting said sprocket elements for effecting the simultaneous rotation of the same.

2. In a freight car having top, bottom, side and end walls, and a partition disposed transversely of the car and fixed with relation to an end wall, a shiftable partition paralleling the fixed partition, hanger elements carried by the shiftable partition, supporting guide means carried by the side walls and having said hanger elements slidably engaged therewith, whereby movement of the shiftable partition may be supported, a plurality of screws adjacent walls of car each secured at one end to the shiftable partition and extending therefrom through the fixed partition, housings adjacent and carried by walls of car and by the fixed partition upon the side opposite from the shiftable partition and into which said screws extend, interiorly threaded nut-like elements swivelly mounted upon said flxedpartition upon the side opposite and in alignment with said housings and each formed to provide a sprocket wheel, a chain coupling the sprocket wheels of said elements, a control sprocket wheel rotatably mounted upon the fixed partition and having said chain connected therewith, means for effecting the rotation of the control sprocket wheel from the interior of the car through the shiftable partition, and means for locking the control sprocket wheel against movement.

3. In a freight car having top, bottom, side and end walls, and a partition fixed in spaced relation to an end wall and forming therewith an ice bunker, a plurality of tubular casings each connecting said partition with the adjacent end wall and each lying against and secured to an adjacent side wall, a nut element disposed adjacent the outer end of each tubular casing outside said bunker and alined with the casing and having a surrounding end flange, collars secured to the outside of the partition adjacent walls of car and each engaging the flange of a nut element, each of said elements further being formed to provide an annular series of sprocket teeth, a sprocket wheel pivotally secured to said partition on the face thereof which is outside said bunker and adjacent the center thereof, a sprocket chain coupling the center sprocket wheel with the sprocket teeth of said nuts, screw members each passing through and threadably engaging in a nut, and an adjustable bulkhead disposed before said partition and secured to said screw members, said bulkhead having an aperture therethrough to facilitate the engagement of an operating element with said sprocket wheel.

4. In a freight car having top, bottom, side and end walls, and a partition fixed in spaced relation to an end wall and forming therewith an ice bunker, a plurality of tubular casings each connecting said partition with the adjacent end wall and each lying against and secured to an adjacent side wall, a nut element disposed adjacent the outer end of each tubular casing outside said bunker and alined with the casing and'having a surrounding end flange, collars secured to the outside of the partition adjacent walls of car and each engaging the flange of a nut element, each of said elements further being formed to provide an annular series of sprocket teeth, a sprocket wheel pivotally secured to said partition on the face thereof which is outside said bunker and adjacent the center thereof, a sprocket chain coupling the center sprocket wheel with the sprocket teeth of said nuts, screw members each passing through and threadably engaging in a nut, an adjustable bulkhead disposed before said partition and secured to said screw members, said bulkhead having an aperture therethrough to facilitate the engagement of an operating element with said sprocket wheel, and means designed for detachable connection with the sprocket wheel to prevent rotation of the same, said last means being I accessible only through an opening formed in said bulkhead.

5. In a freight car having top, bottom, side and end walls, and a partition disposed transversely of the car in spaced relation to an end wall and forming therewith an ice bunker, a plurality of tubular casings each disposed between said partition and the adjacent and wall of the car and having apertured flanges at its ends for connection with the partition and end wall, and apertured flanges intermediate its ends for connection with an adjacent side wall, said casings being disposed against walls of the car whereby the central area of the bunker is unobstructed, a movable partition disposed forwardly of said first partition from the adjacent end wall and transversely of the car body, a plurality of nuts swivelly mounted upon the fixed partition between the same and the movable partition, each of said nuts being formed to provide a sprocket wheel and each with the exception of one being centrally threaded and disposed adjacent walls of car and before the end of a casing, a screw extending through andin threaded connection with each centrally threaded sprocket wheel and having an end secured to the shiftable partition at a point adjacent wall of car, the said one nut having an end bore facing the shiftable partition for the reception of a crank, and a sprocket chain disposed between the partitions and connecting all of said sprocket wheels together whereby the rotation of the said one nut and the sprocket wheel connected therewith will effect the rotation of the other nuts, said shiftable'partition having an aperture through which a crank may be extended to engage the said one nut from the inside only of the car.

HUGH V. WYNN. 

